Hand-regulator for electric motors



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. D. PACKARD. HAND REGULATOR FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS.

No. 511,157. Patented Dec. 19, 1893.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

D R A K C A P D W m d o M 0 Wm HA ND REGULATOR FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS.

No. 511,157. Patented Dec. 19, 1893.

fitter-n21,

W l a m '1 l 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM I). PACKARD, OF \VARREN, OHIO.

HAND-REGULATOR FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 511,157, dated December 19, 1893.

Application filed December 8,1892. Serial No. 454,469. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM D.PAOKARD, of lVarren, in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rheostats; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exactdescription of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in rheostats, and has for its object to provide simple and highly efficient means foreffecting the gradual closing or opening of the current and in case of accident to provide for slowly letting off the current.

The invention consistsin providing a rheo' stat with clock-like mechanism for controlling the operation of the switch arm, a spring impelled wheel and an electrically operated stop for limiting the movement of said wheel.

The invention also comprises the detail construction, combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:-Figure l is a front face view with parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line a;w, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line y-y, Fig. 1. Fig. at is a view in side elevation, with parts broken away, showing a slight modification. Fig. 5 is a face view of the form of frame employed in connection with this modification.

Referring to the drawings,A designates the face-board of my rheostat, and a a series of contact plates circularly or otherwise arranged on said face-board and connected together by resistance wires a, preferably of German silver.

B is a supporting frame curved at its ends and having plates 1) through which screws are passed for holding it to the rheostat proper. The main portion of this frame stands out from and is parallel with the face of the rheostat, and at its center is formed a boss or shoulder Z) through which extends a central opening for the passage of shaft 0. Upon the inner end of this shaft is rigidly secured an arm D having an outer thickened end designed to be in contact with the plates at.

This shaft is formed in two parts or sections (Z, d, and it is to the latter that arm D 15 secured. These sections are united together by collars d made of non-conducting material. One of said collars has a groove corresponding to a tongue of the other collar. By this means the electric current is kept out of the forward mechanism.

E is a balance wheel encircling the boss or shoulder h and held fast to shaft 0 by a key 6 and a cap e screwed on the threaded end of said shaft. This wheel is made hollow and to its inner face is secured a plate .9 to which is connected alarge gear-Wheel 6 having the same axis as wheel E. This gear-wheel meshes with a pinion c" on a stud e supported by frame B, and upon said stud is a gear-wheel c with which engages the rocking lever e of an ordinary clock escapement. Within wheel E is acoiled spring F, the inner end of which is connected to the boss I) and its outer end to the inner periphery of the wheel. This spring effects the revolution of wheel E and the movement of the train of gearing, the latter being controlled by the escapement and thus rendered regular and movement. It is obvious that a weighted cord, or other means, can be employed for revolving'wheel E.

The next important feature of my ruven tion consists in providing means to retain the spring wound up and allow the same to antomatically unwind when the current is taken off, either by design or accident. This may be accomplished in many ways, the two preferred forms of which I will now describe.

In aring or circular extension G of frameB is a solenoid 9. See Fig. 3. This solenoid comprises the coil g and a horizontally arranged bar g which is normally held retracted by a coil-spring g hen the current is established said bar is made to project out into the line or path of a stud or shoulder g extending from the rear face of wheel E, and hold said wheel in place and prevent the unwinding of the spring F. One end of the wire comprising the solenoid is connected bya wire V with the inner end of shaft O, said wire being passed through a central hole in the rheostat. The other end of the solenoid wire is connected to a wire V, of a dynamo, (indicated by lines V while the other wire V of uniform in its said dynamo, is connected to one of the contact platesat, say at X-,thus making a connection in series. Or the connection may be made in shunt by connecting one of the wires from the solenoid with the wire from the dynamo which is attached to the shaft, and the other wire from the solenoid is attached to the second wire from the dynamo which latter is attached to the face of the rheostat, as before set forth.

The second preferred form for effecting the holding of the wheel E is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In this form the frame B is provided at its upper end with two corresponding rings or circular casings h in which fit the parts of a magnet H, such as used by telegraphers. A lever I is fulcrumed in an opening in frame B, andto its upper end is secured a bar topposite the end of the magnet, while to the lower end of said lever is pivotally connected one end of a bar or rod 71' which is extended through a hollow boss t' 'of frame B. The bar '5 is under the control of magnet H and when it is in contact with the latter the bar or rod i is projected outward into theline or path of thestud or projection of wheel E, and thus acts as a stop therefor. The wires conmeeting with the magnets may be arranged similarly to'the wires for the solenoid, before described, that is, in shunt orin series.

The operation of my invention is as followsz-Shppose the sweep arm who in contact with plate a to the left of the plate to t which wire V is connected. Therevolution of Wheel E being started, the current entersthe end of shaft 0 and passes through the sweep armto the contact plate and from plate to plate by the wires at until the sweep arm reaches the plate to which said wire of the dynamois connected, when the current passes olf at that point. Thus the resistance wires act as blocks to let the current on gradually. Without controlling: mechanism the operator is liable toturn the sweep-arm too. rapidly, whereas the clock-like mechanism herein-described compels, him to turn the current on or off slowly, and in case of accident said mechanismwill'let lhe current 01f gradually.

The advantages of my invention'are apparent to those skilled in the art to which it appertains, and it. will be specially observed that the means I employ for securing the resultsl stated are ei rceedinglyv simple and add but little to'the cost, and the addition of my improvements insures theaccurate and perfeci working of thef'rheostat.

I; claim as my invention-'- 1 Ina rheos'tat, a frame extending across thef face' thereof, a shaft mounted inlsaid na e-a swe arm on the inner end of. said shaft, and a spring-impelled balance-wheel fasten the outer end of said'shaft, substantially'a's set forth.

2. In a rheostat, a frame extending ac-ross the th rre haft nine-melt in Said frame, a sweep arm on the inner" end of said shaft, a spring-impelled balance-wheel fast on the outer end of said shaft, and clock-like mechanism for controlling the movement of said wheel, substantially as set forth.

3. In a rheostat, a frame extending across the face thereof, a shaft mounted in said frame, a sweep-arm on the inner end of said shaft, a spring-impelled balance-wheel on the outer end of said shaft, and an electrically operated stop for engaging and holding said wheel, substantially as set forth.

4. In a rheostat, a frame extending across the face thereof having a central boss or shoulder, a shaft mounted therein, a sweep arm on the inner end of said shaft, a hollow wheel fast on said shaft, a spring located in said wheel and having one end connectedthereto, its other end being connected to said boss or shoulder, the plate inclosing the inner side of said wheel, the gear wheel: attached to said plate, and the clock-like mechanism in engagement with said gear wheel, substantially asset forth. 7 a

5. The herein-described improved rheostat, comprising the frame, the shaft supported thereby formed in two sections, non-conducting collars on said sections having interlocking portions, and means for moving said shaft, substantially as set forth.

6. ha rheostat, a frame extending across the face thereof having-acentral bossand a ring or circular eit'ension, a shaft mounted in said boss, a sweep armon the inner end-of said shaft, a spring-impelled wheel fast on the outer end of said shaft havingastud or shoul der g ,ama'gnet,or its equivalent located in said ring or extension, and a bar or rod operated thereby and designed to be engaged bysaid stud orshoulder, substantially as set forth.

7. Theherein-described improvedrheostat, comprising the frame, havinga central hollow boss, the shaftsupported by said boss. and

composed of two seetions,the 'non conducting collars uniting id seqtiongth'e sweeparm} carried by one or said Seamu th whe keyedon, said shaft, the spring secured to-Said';

boss and to said whe'ehthe described train of gearing, the ,escapement lever, the magnet,

thefldesc'ribed connection between thelatter and saidshaft and between adyn'amo and said magnet and; face or rheostat, andgmeans for automatically holdingsaid wheel, substantially as Set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this j specification in thepresence of two snbscrid ing witnesses.

. T v WILLIAM D. PACKARD. Witnesses:

T. H. THOMeS,

GEO; W. UP-TON. 

